I am no stranger to a thriller, I love a good murder mystery. I was looking for book recommendations to make me feel better about present stress in my life (i.e., when I am stressed, reading about murder makes me feel better because at least I’m not being murdered) and picked this one up on the recommendation of a friend and am delighted to give it two big ol’ thumbs up. This is a book I was delighted and surprised by, so much so that I regaled my poor husband with it, telling him of all the plot twists and turns. This was a thriller that at one point had me, out loud, say, “wait, what??” because I was so taken aback by the direction Swanson brought the story in. It was a can’t put down book, so much so I couldn’t put it down the night before leaving for my wedding. Well-played, sir.
I’ve seen a lot of comparisons to Gone Girl which, okay I guess, it was a thriller a lot of people liked, but I think the tone and story development was much different. It definitely has stronger “Stranger on a Train” vibes, as the story begins with strangers but on a plane, who make a loose pact hinging on the murder of a spouse. In addition, Swanson switches POV and timelines (past and present) adeptly, keeping the characters fresh and mysterious and the reader on their toes.
If I have to give any criticism, it’s that his writing of women can be a little heavy-handed. Specifically I remember a line to the effect of “she was so pretty, she didn’t even need make-up.” Cue dramaaaatic eye roll from me. Can we just not please? That aside, this was a juicy and fun thriller, where who to root for, and who to root against, was murky and ever-changing and now sits firmly at the top of my “to recommend” list.